DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 7, 2010 – Ford Motor Company and Azure
Dynamics have begun shipping the first Ford Transit Connect Electrics
to early customers in North America and to the United Kingdom for a
demonstration project.
The all-electric commercial vans, built on the Ford Transit Connect
vehicle body, equipped with Azure Dynamics’ patented Force Drive™
battery electric powertrain, and assembled by AM General at its facility
in Livonia, Mich., are reaching the market 13 months after the
collaboration to develop the zero-emission vehicle was first announced.
To date, all initial units have designated customers. Azure
Dynamics’ LEAD customer program includes seven companies that are taking
delivery of their first units in 2010, with the remainder of their
orders to be filled in 2011. Customers that have been previously
announced include AT&T, Southern California Edison, Xcel Energy,
Johnson Controls Inc., New York Power Authority, Canada Post and
Toronto Atmospheric Fund EV300. Additional LEAD customers will be
identified by the end of the year.
Ford first announced the collaboration in October 2009, with an
agreement for Azure Dynamics to upfit the Transit Connect van with
Azure’s Force Drive battery electric drivetrain technology including
Johnson Controls-Saft’s advanced lithium-ion battery, and a commitment
to deliver the initial vehicles by the end of 2010 to the North
American market. Initial production began in the fourth quarter of 2010
with full production of the Transit Connect Electric slated to ramp up
in April 2011.
“Supplier collaboration is important on all Ford product programs,
but it was especially key in this effort, which went from contract
signing to vehicle production in 13 months,” said Sherif Marakby, Ford
director, Electrification Programs and Engineering. “A strong teamwork
environment established by Azure and Ford was critical to delivering
this vehicle.”
“The Transit Connect Electric program is a great representation of
our product development approach,” said Scott Harrison, CEO, Azure
Dynamics. “We have been able to focus on integration of our Force Drive
powertrain solution and benefit from Ford’s expertise in building
ground-up global vehicle platforms.
Meanwhile, capital costs are kept
in check by contracting AM General for labor and assembly services – an
area where the company excels. Transit Connect Electric is a
revolutionary technology and achieving our aggressive time line is a
testament to the professionalism and spirit of cooperation among all the
project partners.”
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation provided incentive
funding for Azure Dynamics to encourage selection of a Michigan-based
partner for final assembly. Azure chose AM General LLC, to produce the
Transit Connect Electric in its facility in Livonia, Mich.
AM General, a long-established contract vehicle assembler and
services provider, is responsible for final upfit of the Transit
Connect Electric.
Transit Connect Electric is the first product in Ford’s accelerated
electrified vehicle plan, and will be followed by the Focus Electric
passenger car in 2011, along with a plug-in hybrid electric and two
next-generation lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid vehicles in 2012.
Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator program
In addition to delivery of units to LEAD customers in North America,
the Transit Connect Electric commercial van is headed to the United
Kingdom, where 14 of the vehicles will take part in the government’s
Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator program. The program, supported by
Scottish and Southern Energy, utilizes a fleet of zero-emissions
vehicles for the energy company, with designated drivers to test vehicle
and infrastructure technology.
The consortium of Ford, Scottish and Southern Energy and the
University of Strathclyde will provide Transit Connect Electric
vehicles and a charging infrastructure in and around the London suburb
of Hillingdon during 2010 and 2011.
Ford and Azure Dynamics already have announced they will collaborate
to produce the Transit Connect Electric for the European market with
first units to be delivered in 2011.
Designed with fleet users in mind
The all-electric, zero-emissions Transit Connect Electric has a driving
range of up to 80 miles per full charge and is ideal for fleet owners
who have well-defined routes of predictable distances and a central
location for daily recharging. Delivery fleet and utility vehicle
operators have begun to show a preference for smaller, more efficient
vehicles, which creates an ideal time for Transit Connect Electric to
come to market.
“The Transit Connect provides a unique choice for the fleet owner who
wants the convenience of a utility vehicle,” Marakby said. “The
electric version takes that one step further, delivering a dependable,
zero-tailpipe-emission vehicle that requires no petroleum.”
Owners will have the option of recharging Transit Connect Electric
with either a standard 120-volt outlet, or preferably a 240-volt charge
station, typically installed at the user’s base of operations for
optimal recharging in six to eight hours. A transportable cord that
works with both types of outlets will be available for convenient
recharging at either voltage.
The vehicle’s charge port is located above the passenger-side rear
wheel well. The onboard liquid-cooled 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion
battery pack is charged by connecting the charge port to a power
outlet. Inside the vehicle, an onboard charger converts AC power from
the electric grid to DC power to charge the battery pack.
Transit Connect Electric is expected to offer lower cost of
operation, because charging with electricity is generally less expensive
than fueling with gasoline.
When the vehicle is operating, battery power is provided to the
drive motor through the electric powertrain’s motor controller. The
motor controller uses throttle input from the driver to convert DC
power supplied by the battery into three precisely timed signals used
to drive the motor. The onboard DC/DC converter allows the vehicle’s
main battery pack to charge the onboard 12-volt battery, which powers
the vehicle’s various accessories, such as headlights, power steering
and coolant pumps.
In Transit Connect Electric, the battery pack has been efficiently
integrated without compromising interior passenger room and cargo
space. The Johnson Controls-Saft battery pack is expected to last the
life of the vehicle.
First in Ford’s overall electrified vehicle strategy
The electrification strategy builds on Ford’s vision for bringing
affordable technology to millions. It takes advantage of rapid
advancements in electrified vehicle technology – particularly
lithium-ion batteries – while leveraging the scale of global vehicle
platforms to bring the cost of new technology down.
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